Because I Loved Him
by SuperStar091
Summary: "I promised I wouldn't ever leave Link's side, long ago. If never dying meant never seeing him again, I would rather die." Saria's decision on becoming the Forest Sage, set in Ocarina of Time. One-shot.


**I do not own Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This is just me playing around :)**

**Comment if you'd like to, I appreciate tips and stuff like that. Enjoy! **

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"Will you choose to accept your calling?"

Never before have I stood in front of two paths so different. I could choose to sacrifice my mortal being to become a Sage, or I could remain in my earthly life. I had to choose, now, or I would surely die. Only minutes I was given to decide my fate.

"If I accept, will I be able to visit the people of earth?" I asked, only one person in my mind: my forever friend, Link. He was my only reason to hesitate becoming my true form.

The Sage of Light bowed his head, his expression solemn. "An immortal Sage cannot stay in contact with the world below."

The words hit me hard. No. I promised I wouldn't ever leave Link's side, long ago. If never dying meant never seeing him again, I would rather die. Because... I loved him.

The Sage of Light looked at me with sad wisdom. "Why do you hold on to your old life? What must you learn to let go of?"

"I promised I would stay by him," I explained. "If I cannot see him when I am immortal-"

"Who is 'he?'" questioned the Sage. "You are speaking too fast."

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "He is Link," I whispered. Sadness shone from the depth of Sage's eyes. "Because of your true form, fate would not allow you to stay with him no matter your decision now."

"What?"

"I can see what you are longing for, and you will never reach that as mortal or immortal."

"What are you talking about? What I long for? I don't understand."

Sage paused. "Perhaps I should show you." He waved his hand, and a vision appeared before me.

It showed me, running to Link's house the morning he first left, when he told me he was summoned by the Deku Tree. I was planning to show him my hideaway, in the Lost Woods, but instead he was called to meet the Deku Tree, to save the Kokiri.

It then showed Link running across the bridge to Hyrule, where I waited for hours for him. I gave him my Ocarina, my only prized possession, as a parting gift, and taught him my song so he could remember me. Without a word, he ran from the Forest, not even looking back. It felt as if I was there again, I even felt the same ache in my heart when he was finally out of my sight.

Then, the vision changed, to my hideaway, where I sat and played my new Ocarina. The song I played while the forest fairies danced in the air.

Link, finding me by listening to my song, and how I was so joyful to see him once more. And him saying he'd come back to me, once he saved Hyrule.

Why was the Sage showing me what I've already known? He was needed to fulfill his destiny, he wasn't abandoning me. He said he'd come back.

Then it showed Link, sneaking past castle guards. I never knew he went to the castle. Suddenly, he was at the royal garden. I watched him turn a corner and see, in front of him, the Princess. The Princess whirled around and her eyes met his.

"Who... Who are you?" she asked. "How did you get past the guards?"

"I'm Link," he said. "I was called here to help you."

Fury and jealousy built inside me. The Princess was beautiful. So much more beautiful than a little forest girl like me. You could see that's what Link felt, too, in his eyes and the way he looked at her. He never looked at me that way.

Then, the vision flashed to a stormy night. Horses' hooves pounded on the castle bridge, and a white horse galloped out, the Princess on its back. She looked at Link, fear and sorrow on her face, and threw something that landed in the river. He dived in right away to retrieve it. I choked when I saw what it was.

An Ocarina. Not a small, hand-carved one like my gift, but a real, smooth wooden one that was dyed a royal blue with Royal Family patterns. It was beautiful. Link studied it in amazement, and when he climbed out of the river, my precious Ocarina I gave as a gift slipped out of his pocket. It sank, down, to the bottom of the moat, and the vision showed sand slowly covering it.

"Stop! That's not real. He still has my Ocarina. He found it again," I pleaded. "It's not real, stop it," I cried, tears falling.

"It is just as real as the other visions," said the Sage. "It is just as real as now."

Next it showed the seven years I waited, hidden away in my Lost Forest. When I did come out, Mido would pester me and I would flee back to my silence and peace. Slowly, the monsters invaded, and when I couldn't keep them away, I was forced into the temple.

And here I was now, waiting for Link to rescue me from Ganondorf's clutches.

Because... I loved him.

"No," I begged. "He wouldn't forget me."

"He is grown, Saria. He is no longer a Kokiri."

The last thing the vision showed was Link, older, in the temple I was in right now, and then the picture vanished.

"Seven years of time has made his mind forget."

Is it true? Had he forgotten me? Seven years, no, a hundred years, could not make me forget him. Yet I saw it myself. He was grown. Kokiris cannot grow. I wasn't for him. I could barely see through the anger and pain that was clouding my mind.

Because... I loved him.

But he loved another.

"It is true," I said. My decision must be made soon. There were two paths before me, but they were not as different as I thought. Each one would mean missing him, and watching him happy with someone else. Each one would be breaking my promise to stay with him, because how could I keep a forgotten promise? Each one meant dying inside.

But the difference was, one would save me the hurt of knowing that I could always try again. That was becoming my true form, the Sage of the Forest.

Before I could change my mind again, the deciding words came from my lips.

"I accept my calling."

As the transformation begun, I said a goodbye, and wished all happiness to him.

Because... I loved him.


End file.
